Great Wall Marathon

Hit the wall

Someone needs to tell the organizers of the Great Wall of China Marathon that the term "hitting the wall" is supposed to be metaphorical, not literal—that the wall you hit at 20 miles is supposed to be one of bone-weariness of soul and spirit and muscle, not the greatest freaking wall in the history of human engineering.

This preposterous ascent, starting at 21.5 miles, is up the face of a cliff so steep the builders of the Great Wall, more than 2,000 years ago, had to briefly discontinue it there. It appears from the bottom as a forested wall; a thin switchback trail is the only clue that it is humanely possible to continue. Up a series of steep switchbacks we go, some mere dirt trail, some carved out of stone, some made more civilized by bits of rock cemented into place to form rough steps.

When we finish the switchbacks, we come to the base of the Wall itself, and more—even tougher—climbing commences. The wall’s inclines are steep, and none of the steps are uniformly spaced, so you can’t get into a rhythm. The steps are high, 18 inches or more.